ABC EXCLUSIVE: Hillary Clinton Calls for Gonzales' Resignation

[Purveyor]

March 13, 2007 — In an exclusive interview to air Wednesday morning, March 14, on "Good Morning America," Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, for the first time called for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

"The buck should stop somewhere," Clinton told ABC News senior political correspondent Jake Tapper, "and the attorney general — who still seems to confuse his prior role as the president's personal attorney with his duty to the system of justice and to the entire country — should resign.

"I'm deeply disturbed by what we have learned thus far," Clinton said, "and I join those who are calling for a full and thorough investigation to try to get to the bottom of these very political decisions that interfere with prosecutorial responsibility by U.S. attorneys, and I think that the attorney general should resign."

Clinton said the evidence so far pointed to "direct interference with the way U.S. attorneys are supposed to operate — to be impartial. There's evidence of political interference and political pressure being put on them to engage in partisan political activities." Clinton added there were "so many examples of an abuse of power, of going in and removing people not on the basis of performance but, in fact, because they were performing well, they were fulfilling their responsibilities as a U.S. attorney, and that wasn't within the political agenda of the administration."

---end of excerpt---

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2948538&page=1

[wtmusic]

1. 3...2...1...

Obama Joins in Calls for AG Gonzales' Resignation

[Greeby]

2. Yeah, only after everybody whos anybody has done it

[benny05]

17. Exactly!

Why didn't ABC News interview John Edwards? He was the first one to call on his resignation today.

[kestrel91316]

18. Probably because he is a private citizen and no longer a US Senator.

Hillary is a current Senator, so her opinion technically matters more.

ABC didn't interview me either.

I don't fault them on this.

[texpatriot2004]

3. I think Gonzo will be forced to resign. nm

[tblue]

4. Alright, Hillary!!!

10 Thumbs Up!

[w4rma]

5. Hillary makes a fantastic windsock. One can often tell what the GOP is going to do from her actions.

She only jumps on board things that are about to win, after everyone else has done the work.

[tblue]

6. Then this is good news!

[w4rma]

9. Darn right it is.

Just remember that this statement was not made to help get rid of him, but to jump on a winning campaign as it is crossing the finish line.

[JNelson6563]

45. Well put.

Just remember that this statement was not made to help get rid of him, but to jump on a winning campaign as it is crossing the finish line.

That is an excellent way of phrasing it. This is exactly what I think of Senator Clinton's "leadership".

Julie

[wtmusic]

8. One can often tell what Russ Feingold did three months ago

by her actions.

[w4rma]

11. too true. (nt)

[kestrel91316]

19. Correct.

[papau]

25. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) has not yet called for his resignation as far as I can tell - does

anyone have different information?

[w4rma]

26. He voted against confirming Gonzales and has been on his case as a member of the Senate Judiciary

Committee. He hasn't called for a resignation although he voted against Gonzales taking the position in the first place.

[papau]

27. thanks - I thought Schumer and Hillary were the first Sen's to demand a resignation. n/t

n/t

[krispos42]

38. The other senators must really hate Russ

I mean, he's ALWAYS RIGHT!

Good for the county if people would wake up to that fact.

He should buy a Powerball ticket or something.

[coalition_unwilling]

56. Or what Dennis Kucinich said and did five years ago -n/t

[blossomstar]

28. Sadly, I've noticed that too, I WANT to like Hillary, but....

she is just so, I don't know, something, can't put my finger on what is bugging me about her!

[MannyGoldstein]

32. You Are a Republican That Hates Powerful Women

Isn't it obvious?

[Cha]

64. OR a thinking

woman who hates powerful tools?

[longship]

35. Indeed!

Sessions and other GOPers have already chimed in on this.

Gonzo is burnt toast.

I'll give him 48 hours at the most.

On edit: Special prosecutor to follow. Then, some time later, indictments.

[KittyWampus]

41. Friday news dump? Actually, I wonder. He knows too much & might hang on ala Rumsfeld

lookin back, it's amazing Rumsfeld lasted as long as he did.

[Jersey Ginny]

68. Exactly. She hops on any "winning" issue

That's not leadership.

[DemKR]

7. Why is Obama silent on this issue though is my question

Even though I support Hillary, I give the props to Edwards for having the guts. But why is Obama it seems is always the last one to issue statements? He has said absolutely nothing about Fox News etc.

Obama has been basically called a terrorist by the propaganda machine, why does he not fight back against these kind of attacks?? We need a candidate who FIGHTS!!! I cannot stress that enough.

[Connie_Corleone]

24. Obama might. When he does, he'll be accused of

following Edwards' lead just like some here are saying about Hillary calling for Gonzales' resignation.

If Edwards' does anything first, the other candidates are just doing it for political reasons, even though it just happens to be the right thing to do.

I'm glad Edwards called for his resignation, but some of his supporters are making this into some kind of "firsties" contest.

[libodem]

10. Go girl

I like to see her taking a stand.

[David Zephyr]

12. Senator Feinstein will subpoena Karl Rove.

There's blood in the water.

If Hillary is on board, then there's more to all of this than we know.

[DemKR]

13. Hillary has always been a fighter

I may not always agree with her 100% of the time, but she has always fought when she smells a foul. She never takes a "wait and see" approach. That is what has drawn me to her.

I am not a Feinstein fan, so I won't get my hopes up on that one )

[wtmusic]

14. Oh please

Hillary has never led anyone on anything. She is the Queen of Wait and See, and this was handed to her on a platter--a 100% risk-free move.

[David Zephyr]

20. Hillary voted for the Patriot Act, the Iraqi War & the Homeland Defense Department.

I appreciate your enthusiasm about her and respect your supporting her, but these problems with Gonzales would not even exist if she and other cowardly Democrats had opposed the Patriot Act like a great many brave Democrats did.

Hillary has not "always fought" when she should have. I wish she had. If she had, she would have already been coronated the nominee by now...which she clearly isn't.

In any event, I applaud her calling for his resignation. It is the right thing to do and she did it, so I give her credit for it.

[Purveyor]

21. Do not "listen to what they say but watch what they do"... n/t

[MGKrebs]

29. What Democrats opposed the Patriot act?

It was 98 to 1! Feingold was the only Senate opposition.

Even the House was 357 to 66, but that's moot in regards to H. Clinton.

Just for the record.

[Lerkfish]

40. The political climate at the time was as it was, however, the climate had changed when Gonzales's

memo on torture, extraordinary renditions, evaporation of habeas corpus, abuse of prisoners and refusal to allow due process for prisoners was going on.

I can excuse the patriot act juggernaut, but in the cool light of day, no one should have given a pass to further abuses by the DOJ.

[David Zephyr]

51. 77 "brave democrats" voted against it. Read the archives here at the DU.

You can read where I posted for months before the vote, during the vote, and after the vote against it.

Do you actually support the Patriot Act? No wonder you support Hillary.

[Lerkfish]

39. exactly, you stated what I was about to, additionally: where was she on the torture memo?

I applaud her for calling for his resignation NOW, but I also wouldn't call her a firebrand of innovation politically. She jumps on bandwagons as they roll over the finish line.

Better would have been a call for his resignation after the torture memos and extraordinary renditions, the Gitmo exclusions from the Geneva Convention and the rescinding of Habeas Corpus (sp?)

Those were much greater justifications for his ouster, but there weren't enough voices on both sides of aisles to make it a comfortable move politically.

[knight_of_the_star]

70. Fought when she smells a foul?

More like leaps on the corpse after others have killed it. She's a vulture of the good issues, nothing else but. She lets everyone else do the hard work of making it happen, then jumps on board to pick off the choice bits.

[Dr Fate]

15. The words coming from her mouth are correct.

I'll wait until she backs this up with some action (She says she supports a full investigation- so she must be for summoning Rove & Bush-right?)

But right now, as when she made her Iraq War speech- the words alone coming from her mouth sound pretty good. The act that follows is what I will judge though.

Obama is a little late to this party, as some Hill supporters have pointed out. He needs to get on the ball as well...

[DemKR]

16. Agreed nt

[rodeodance]

22. Pat Leahy on Lehrer Hour said he would use supena power to get Rove,

gondo, Sampson, all involved to his committee--soon!

[Dr Fate]

30. No shit? I'm glad to hear some real specifics.

He better do it sooner rather than later- I hear Rove can dream up & deliver a distracting counter-scandal in hours.

[Generator]

23. Apparently she watched Blizter this afternoon too!

Edwards was on it. She's probably taking cues from him on how to to act like a Democrat.

[BenDavid]

31. I think it is about time that I

write my thoughts about HRC and the constant negative statements by those that do not support her. For some reason, some Democrats in here can't say, "I prefer Edwards or Obama." No, that won't do - that would take a measure of adulthood. It is always something negative about HRC, but that is your right to express exactly what you desire. but I too get to write what I feel too....

I wonder if these same folks that respond to anything HRC puts out are the same ones that say she must apologize for her vote on Iraq and in some way claim she is enabling this war? Ask yourself how stupid it would sound to say,Max Cleland's enabling the Iraq war disaster, Joe Biden's enabling the Iraq war disaster, Tom Harken's enabling the Iraq war disaster, John Kerry's enabling the Iraq war disaster, Chuck Schumers enabling the Iraq war disaster.(On the Joint Resolution (H.J.Res. 114 voted Yea)

You see? It's no fun to hold Harken or Kerry responsible for BUSH's disaster, but the freshman senator from New York, SHE's responsible for BUSH's disaster all on her own. It was HER vote thats killed 3200 soldiers and Cleland, Kerry and Edwards had NOTHING to do with it.

If this is not you, then why is it that folks keep up the rant that HRC must apologize.....This fever reminds me of the GOP's impeachment fever back in 1998. Bill's impeachment was like a criminal assault and battery. NOTHING was going to stop that impeachment because they had the fever.
The GOP was "caught up" with impeachment fever - that's all they could see or hear. Bill's approval rating was in the 70s - and voters clearly didn't want him to be impeached, but like the criminal who can't stop until he assaults enough, it was GOING to happen.

Hell, the GOP lost seats in November of 1998 - but that didn't matter to them. NOTHING was going to stop that impeachment because they had the fever. They lived and breathed impeachment the way some people are now living and breathing "Stop her!"

IF YOU,LIKE ANOTHER CANDIDATE BETTER THAN HRC,VOTE FOR HIM OR HER...... But when I read some of the vitriol directed towards HRC, you got the fever and that tells me something.

And to THOSE DEMOCRATS, "I'll vote Republican before I'll vote for Her," Democrats need to worry because your "Stop her!" fever is turning you into what the GOP was in 1998.

[w4rma]

34. You realize we're talking about the Democratic primary here, not the General, right?

Or, in your mind, has the Hillary machine already won the primary?

[Evergreen Emerald]

43. I agree BenDavid

I also think that America was programed to hate Ms. Clinton from the constant bombardment of media negativity through the vast right wing conspiracy. The negative comments on this board usually give Clinton the same characteristics that the republican spin machine did when Bill was in office. It became part of our subconscious. I was surprised that Hillary won in NY due to that. The republicans did a great job of re-defining Hillary and it stuck just like they did with the word liberal.

It goes to show you that even some on this board, who believe they are resistant to the propaganda, bought this redefinition.

[BigDDem]

44. Very well said BenDavid

Some of the folks around here have a knee jerk reaction to all things Hillary. NO MATTER WHAT she says it's always a reason to attack.
The Hillary haters are a very predictable bunch.

[SOS]

48. Read the original here

The unedited version:

www.bartcop.com

It's falsely retitles Michael Corcoran's article from "The Other Reason to Oppose Hillary Clinton" into "Why I Hate Her".
Look for the original, deranged, hate-filled rant under that title.

It's much more entertaining with all the rape references unedited!

[MGKrebs]

46. Well said. There are definitely reasons why people might

prefer another candidate, but the flat out lies and really ugly personal attacks and "acceptable" criteria that are tailored just for her to fail are just really unfortunate.

I think the evolution of one strain of the anti-HC virus goes something like this:

- RW constantly bombards the universe with anti-HC propaganda, with really no substance, just
FEAR! for some nebulous reason, usually that she is a radical liberal.

- As the RW hate matures, the "polarizing" effect of an HC candidacy becomes more significant, but that polarization is supposed to be because the RW has done such a good job that swing voters will be scared off.

- Some on the left are now opposed to an HC candidacy because of the "she can't win" polarizing effect.

- As the polls and fundraising numbers for her continue to show strength, indicating that she might not be polarizing enough to actually lose, those who thought she would be too polarizing search for other reasons to oppose her, and there are plenty of bandwagons to jump onto. There is the war vote. But since so many other senators voted for it too, including other candidates, it morphs into a "must apologize for" the war vote. Then there's the lack of bold leadership even though that would, by definition, be polarizing. Then there's the Patriot Act, even though EVERY Senator voted for it except Feingold, and I don't think he's running.

The criticisms get more and more refined, until we will finally get to a situation where the biggest problem will be something only she can qualify for, perhaps because "her name is Clinton". Which is right where we started.

The genetically engineered antiHC virus, created by VRWC Inc, has been more successful than they could have hoped. It even infected some who were supposed to have been inoculated with the TruthSerum and Reasonex antibiotics.

[mikelgb]

47. Copy and Paste much?

[mvd]

33. Right on!

Gonzales is loyal to Bush, not the Constitution.

[pinniped]

36. The POS* will just replace him with the next POS from the pool.

.

[paulk]

55. except that this time around, Democrats control

the Senate.

Bush will not be able to get what he wants.

[pinniped]

67. Maybe, but no one does sleazy moves and blackmail better than the cabal.

They could wiretap anyone. I'm sure they got the dirt.

[knight_of_the_star]

71. No we don't

Lieberman does, and if he likes who Bush puts up, then Cheney breaks the tie and we're still fucked. Is there no one who will rid us of that arrogant creep?

[Pachamama]

37. EVERYONE should be calling for Gonzales's resignation!

[geiger]

42. This is getting ridiculous

That's the Executive Branch of the government and they can do anything they want. Mrs. Clinton didn't like it when she was told she couldn't re-vamp the travel office.

We need to be moving forward with things we can control, not act like a bunch of whiny adolescents. There are more important issues, besides.

[hughee99]

49. I think Hillary's going to let this one slide...

She made her comments, and it was a good strong statement that I fully support, but I don't think we're going to see any follow up action from her on this. I don't believe that Hillary has any desire to be leading the charge in a "replacing federal prosecutors for political reasons" scandal.

[churchofreality]

50. Hillary will win in '08 despite all you bashers.

You want to know what an Obama presidency would be like? Look at Deval Patrick in massachusetts. His whole campaign was about hope. He is over his head and has weekly, if not daily, scandals and embarassments. Obama seems like a great guy, but Hillary has walked the walk and has the experience and inside knowledge of not only the job but the type of politics it takes to survive. Deval Patrick is toast after 2 months.

[Alexander]

52. The only "bashers" are the nutjobs who worship HRC.

You seriously think Obama will fuck up as president because of Deval Patrick's gubernatorial problems?

I guess you think all black people are the same, huh?

I also noticed the low post count and the fact that you don't seem to like many Democrats (besides HRC, of course)

Go back to Free Republic where you belong.

[churchofreality]

54. I like plenty of Democrats, I just want to win.

I am not a freeper and I'm from mass so I know about Patrick. The fact that they are black has nothing to do with my argument, I was equating them because they run on a common theme "hope". Do you want to win? or do you want to run a "hopeful" campaign and have 4 more years of this hell?

[Alexander]

58. Of course I want to win, which is why I don't support Hillary Clinton.

Everyone knows who she is, and many have already decided they don't like her very much, on the left, in the middle and on the right.

Hence, she is the right's favorite candidate, not only because she cozies up to Rupert Murdoch, but because they know if we nominate her, we lose 2008.

Don't let facts get in the way of a good argument, though.

[BigDDem]

57. "nutjobs who worship HRC?"

Sounds like a freeper to me.

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BigDDem]

60. Which DLCers are "Republican plants?"

Your tin foil is showing.

Personally, I dont know anyone who "worships" Hillary.
Does support = worship in your book?

As others have pointed out, there are some people on here who
have a knee jerk reaction to ANYTHING Hillary. If you havent
noticed, you're not paying attention.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BigDDem]

65. Wow, how could anyone possibly argue with that logic?

Hillary was a Goldwater girl, oh which remainds me of something
some unnamed person who was one of Tony Blairs "law school friends"
said, it went "along the lines of ...."

Using your "logic" you must have felt great when Reagan was elected
because he use to be a Democrat.

[churchofreality]

61. Who said I criticize anyone who doesn't disagree?

I just have the opinion that she is the frontrunner, she has the money, she has the ability, she has the talent, and she has the sack. Therefore, she has the best chance to win.

[Alexander]

63. You trashed Obama without provocation.

Kerry's message was about hope (remember "hope is on the way"?). Clinton's message was about hope, making liberal use of the name of his hometown (which was literally "Hope, Arkansas"). Somehow I doubt you had similar concerns about them.

But when someone with a message of hope runs against your preferred candidate, all of a sudden they aren't qualified, they'll fuck up in office, etc.

I don't even support Obama. I prefer Gore and am waiting to see if he will run or not. But the idea you're spouting that Obama will fuck up just because he is another candidate with a message of hope (or maybe it really is because he's black and you aren't being honest) is a total crock of shit.

[Hekate]

53. Now, in a burst of historic irony, please call for a special prosecutor

Maybe the Congress now has enough Dems with enough spine to actually make that happen. It would be the most richly deserved comeuppance in US history.

Hmmm -- and of course may I suggest our favorite prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald.

Hekate

[ProudDad]

66. Cool

You go, girl!!!

[BenDavid]

69. Is this the BLAME HER underground?

Damn! it seems to me that so many in here wanna blame the whole damn Iraq conflict on HER and place it all on HER shoulders more so then bush.DAMN!I believe most of HER haters in her believe that Hillary overruled the Joint Chiefs and ordered those troops to Iraq. This has nothing to do with proportion of blame - most folks just hate Hillary's guts and anybody with a hardon to hate Hillary gets the front page in today's climate.

Question: Of all the people screaming at Her today, how many gave Kerry a pass for his vote in 2004? Gee, suddenly the room got reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal quiet.Let's have a show of hands - who forgave Kerry in 2004 for his Iraq vote, but now hates Hillary's f-ing guts for voting exactly the same way he did?

Explain why Kerry got a pass on the Iraq war vote - but she doesn't.And when asked the question: If you knew then what you know now would you still send troops? Hillary answer NO! What did Kerry answered? As clear as day standing at the grand canyon and Kerry answered. YES!

Damn folks most of you are not even consistant with your hatred.